CD8+ T-cell deficiency is a feature of many chronic autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's syndrome, systemic sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, psoriasis, etc. It also occurs in blood of healthy relatives of patients with autoimmune diseases, suggesting that it is genetically determined. This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and systemic sclerosis.